Pneumatic tire



(No Model.) 2 Sheets.-Sheet 1Q E. M. GRAHAM.

PNEUMATIC TIRE.

N0. 511,771. Patented 11111.2, 1894.

m: NAflONAL umusmuwma COMPANY.

I WASHINGTON. a. ::v

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

' E. M. GRAHAM.

, PNEUMATIC TIRE.

PatentedJan. 2,1894.

me NATLONAL u'ruaauruma GGMPANY wAsmNamu. 1.7v c,

NITED STATES PATENT (lumen.

EDlVARD M. GRAHAM, OF OIllGAGO, ILLINOIS.

PNEUMATIC TIRE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 511,771, dated January2, 1894. Application filed January 16, 1893. Serial No. 458,482. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD M. GRAHAM, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Pneumatic fires, ofwhich the following is a specification.

In a pneumatic tire characterized by my invention, the sheath or casingfor the airtube is divided along its base, and adapted along its edgeportions thus formed, for engaging in seats or holders with which thewheel-rim is provided along its opposite annular edge portions. Theadaptation of the sheath with reference to this engagement with thewheel rim is such, that when the sheath is closed or proximately closedalong its annular line of split, it can be removed from the rim, andalso replaced thereon as a preliminary to looking it in place. hen thusplaced upon the rim, the sheath can be brought into locking engagementwith the same by suitably spreading or separating the sheath along itsdivisional line so as to project its catch or engaging edge portionswithin the seats or holders along the edge-portions of the wheel-rim.This last stated condition of the sheath is maintained by an abutment orkey-strip, which is temporarily interposed between the opposingedge-portions of the sheath so as to fill or substantially fill theannular space between the same and there by effectively resist anycontraction on the part of the sheath tending to withdraw its edgeportions from their engagement with the wheel-rim. This arrangementtherefore provides a positive lock, and prevents accidental displacementof the sheath under any and all circumstances. The abutment thusprovided is independent of an air-tube confined within the sheath andcan be readily removed so as to permit the removal of the sheath eitherin whole or in part from the rim, without disturbing the air-tube, andlikewise said abutment can be readily replaced when it is again desiredto secure the sheath in place, and as a simple, light and desirableconstruction I prefer to provide as an abutment for the foregoingdescribed purpose, a flexible belt or band which can be withdrawn frombetween the edge-portions of the sheath preparatory to removing thelatter from the rim, and which can be threaded in place when it isdesired to again secure the sheath in place.

In the accompanying drawings,-Figure 1 is a section taken'centrallythrough the tire. Fig. 2 is a section through Fig. l on line 0ca;,

on a larger scale, the length of tire portion shown being somewhatdisproportionate for convenience of illustration. Fig. 3 is a sectiontaken transversely through the tire and rim with the key -strip removed.Fig. 4 shows a portion of the tire-sheath rim and key-strip inperspective. Fig. 5 is a section taken through a portion of the tire andillustrates a mode of threading the key-strip in place. Fig. 6 is alongitudinal central section through one end of the key-strip.

The sheath A is divided along its base or seating portion, and adaptedto provide outwardly projecting lips or hook-portions a along the edgeportions which are formed as a result of such division. The edgeportions of the wheel-rim B, are bent over and back toward its annularmiddle line so as to provide hook-shaped seats or holders b adapted toreceive the correspondingly formed por tions of the sheath.

The flexible abutment or keystrip 0 can be formed of any suitablematerial, either elastic or inelastic, but as an extremely simple,serviceable and efficient construct-ion, I contemplate the use of around leather cord or belt, it being however expressly understood thatWhile I prefer the round construction, I may employ other forms, andthat for the broader purposes of my invention I do not limit myself toany particular form and material.

Preliminary to the introduction of the keystrip,the sheath, containing adeflated airtube can be placed upon the wheel-rim with its lips orannular engaging portions a opposite their respectively allotted seatsor holders Z), it being observed that any tendency on the part of thesheath to normally spring apart along its line of split can berestricted by simply pinching or compressing the sheath while thusbringing it in place upon the rim. The flexible key-strip can then bethreaded within the annular space between the opposing edge-portions a(Fig. 3) of the sheath so as to fill such space 03 as will be leftbetween desired point provided with a couple of openings b, and thekey-stri p is of such length that when in place so as to encircle therim as in Fig. 1, it shall respectively lie adjacent to one and theother of said openings. When therefore it is desired to remove thekey-strip, it can be withdrawn through one of these openlngs.

In order to thread the key-stripin place, a thread or cord can beattached to one end and carried about the rim preparatory to placing thesheath thereon in which way, the thread or cord can enter one of theopenings 1), then pass around the rim, and then pass out through theremaining opening so as to render its free end accessible, andthereupon, the operator can by drawing upon the free end of the threador cord, draw the key-strip within the tire and bring itinto properplace, such act being illustrated by Fig. 5 wherein the operation ofthus threading the key-strip is shown nearly completed, it being seenthat a slight further pull upon the thread or cord D will bring the endof the key-strip to which it is attached, opposite the opening allottedto such end of the key-strip, and that by so doing, the opposite end ofthe key-strip will be drawn within the tire and left opposite itsallotted opening in the wheel-rim.

For the broader purposes of myinvention I can provide any suitable ordesired construction of fastening devices for temporarily securing theends of the key-strip. As a special fastening, I have herein shown eachend of the key-strip provided with a fastening device E which is hingedto the key-strip so that while the ends of the key-strip may lieconcealed within the tire, the fastening devices can be deflectedthrough the opening 5 for engagement with studs or catches F upon theinner or under side of the wheel-rim. Conveniently each hinged fasteningdevice comprises a loop fhinged to thekey-strip, and an eye f hinged tothe loop and adapted for engagement with its allotted catch or stud, inwhich way the loops f can extend through the openings 1) and the eyes fcan when in 1 engagement with the catches, lie flat against the inner orunder side of the wheel-rim and thus have a neat and unobjectionableappearance. The adaptation of the sheath for looking with the rim, asaforesaid, does not necessitate a special form of rim, other than thatthe rim must have curled or analogously formed edge portions adapted toprovide annular seats or holders for the edge portions of the sheath. Solong as the abutment or keystri p is thus confined between the opposingedge portions of the sheath, the latter cannot separate from the rim atany point whatsoever; and since the key-strip acts as a wedge orabutment, it is not subject to strain and liability of breakage ordisplacement. The seating and catch or looking portions a of the sheathcan be molded with the sameor made separately therefrom and secured tothe same in any suitable way, and since they are separated from oneanother by a comparatively small space which is filled or substantiallyfilled with the key-strip, they will obviously provide a substantialconstruction of base or seating portion. The opposing edges a of thesheath can be straight or curved, and can be at any desired anglerelatively to one another or to the rim, although I prefer to make themconform somewhat to the shape of the key-strip, and hence where thelatter is rounded so as to facilitate its introduction and removal, thesaid edges can be correspondingly concaved.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. The combination of a tire-sheathhaving a divided base, a Wheel rim having marginal portions with whichthe base portions of the sheath engage so as to hold the sheath upon therim, and a flexible key strip for removable confinement between thedivisions of the base portion of the sheath so as to maintain suchdivisions in engagement with the marginal portions of the wheel-rim, thelatter beingsuitably op en to provide passage way for the removal andintroduction of the flexible key strip, substantially as described.

2. The combination of the tire-sheath having its base divided andprovided with catch portions, a key-strip for removable confinementbetween the divisions of the base portion of the sheath, and the wheelrim having seats or holders for receiving the catch portions of thesheath and suitably open to provide passage-way for the removal andintroduction of the key-strip, substantially as described.

3. The sheath provided with catch portions along its divided base, akey-strip adapted for removable confinement between thedivisions of thebase of the sheath and consisting of a round leather band, and thewheelrim adapted to provide seats or holders for the catch-portions ofthe sheath and suitably open to provide passage-way for the withdrawalof said band from between the divisions of the sheath substantially asdescribed.

4. The sheath provided with catch portions along its base the wheel rimadapted to provide seats or holders for the catch portions of thesheath, and a key-strip removably inter posed between the divisions ofthe base of the sheath and having fastening devicesadapted forprojection through openings in the wheelrim so as to engage with catcheson the inner or under side of the same, substantially as described.

5. The sheath provided with catch portions IOC catch devices attached tothe key-strip and along its divided base,t11e wheel rim adapted 1 thehinged catches-0n the key-strip,substanto provide seats or holders forsaid catch portially as described.

tions, the key-strip interposed between the i t divisions of the baseofthesheath,thehinged EDWARD GRAHAM" Witnesses:

W. D. MIDDLETON, CHAS. G. PAGE.

arranged to extend through openings in the rim, and catch devices on thewheel rim for

